Sphinx

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A mythical creature that was frequently a subject of ancient Egyptian sculpture, the sphinx combined the body of an animal (usually a lion) with the head of a man, and was usually depicted in a recumbent position. Statues of sphinxes were often associated with Egyptian sanctuaries, as in the avenue of sphinxes connecting the temples of Luxor and Karnak in Thebes. The most famous Egyptian sphinx lies near the pyramid (see pyramids) of Khafre (c.2500 B.C.) at Giza. Known as the Great Sphinx, it measures 21 m (69 ft) in height and 74 m (243 ft in length) and its face, now badly damaged, is believed to represent King Khafre himself. Originally built to guard the pyramid, the Great Sphinx was later worshiped as the god Rahorakhty, "Ra of the Two Horizons." Long one of Egypt's most celebrated monuments, it was disfigured by vandalism in the past and today is threatened by pollution. A seven-year restoration project was completed in 1997.

In ancient Greek art and legend—in the story of Oedipus, for example—the sphinx became a winged monster with the body of a lion and the head of a woman.

Further Reading:

Evslin, Bernard, The Sphinx (1991).

Stewart, Desmond, The Pyramids and Sphinx (1971).

Zivie-Coche, Christiane, Sphinx: History of Monument, trans. by D. Lorton (2002).

How to cite this article:

MLA (Modern Language Association) style:

Bianchi, Robert S. "Sphinx." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online, 2010. Web. 13 Oct. 2010.

Chicago Manual of Style:

Bianchi, Robert S. "Sphinx." Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0273650-0 (accessed October 13, 2010).

APA (American Psychological Association) style:

Bianchi, R. S. (2010). Sphinx. Grolier Multimedia Encyclopedia. Retrieved October 13, 2010, from Grolier Online http://gme.grolier.com/article?assetid=0273650-0